January 22, 2025: Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif praised Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as “great white-ball cricketers” and emphasized their importance to the Indian team ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. In a video on his YouTube channel, Kaif highlighted that despite being in their late 30s, both players will play a crucial role in India’s success during the tournament.
Kaif noted that while both players are nearing the end of their careers, they remain integral to the Indian lineup. “Rohit is 37 years old, and Kohli is 36 years old. They are not going to play for long. Pray for them, back them,” Kaif said. He stressed that these seasoned batters, with their wealth of experience, are expected to contribute significantly during the Champions Trophy, especially in matches against key opponents.
Both Rohit and Kohli have been prolific in ODIs. Kohli has scored 13,906 runs in 295 matches, while Rohit has accumulated 10,866 runs in 265 ODIs. Kaif pointed out that the pair complements each other well, with Rohit providing the fast start and Kohli capitalizing on it.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled from February 19 to March 9, will be hosted by Pakistan and the UAE. India will play its matches in Dubai, with the tournament including teams like Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. The India-Pakistan match, a highlight of the tournament, is set for February 23, and India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20.
India’s squad for the Champions Trophy includes:
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- Shubman Gill (VC)
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (WK)
- Hardik Pandya
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Mohammed Shami
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Rishabh Pant
- Ravindra Jadeja